Warehouse layout design is crucial to efficient operations. Managing a warehouse or distribution center is no simple task, but by choosing a layout that makes the best use of space and facilitates a sleek production line, your company can reap great benefits.
Good warehouse layout design also helps you avoid some typical warehouse setup mistakes, as well as keep customers and users satisfied by helping to increase the speed at which work can be processed.
SEE ALSO: Warehouse project management: 5 important things you need to get right.
Some of the benefits of the various warehouse design features listed below include improved order fulfillment, easier access to goods, reduced order picking times, shorter lead times and accident prevention.
If you need someone to help you with the installation, refurbishment or relocation of a warehouse in Brazil, Mexico or the United States, please contact us, contact us at.
Fundamental principles for warehouse layout design
Before considering the proper design of the warehouse layout, it is useful to consider some concepts and principles that are fundamental to the operation of a warehouse or distribution center.
Flow
Designing the internal flow through a facility is a job that requires strategic planning in warehouse layout design. The path of goods and materials must be considered from the time they enter to the time they leave the facility. Good flow increases the overall efficiency of the operation.
A common way to optimize this is to establish a one-way flow, which avoids the congestion that can occur in bi-directional channels. A single flow helps to reduce heavy traffic and, therefore, the potential accidents that can occur when large vehicles and other machinery circulate.
A key tool for signaling flow is the installation of appropriate signage on the warehouse floor, which is typically done with heavy-duty tape or special paint. Establishing a clear flow is something that requires planning and ideally should be done before the facility goes live.
Spacing
When designing the layout of a warehouse, it is necessary to dedicate to each area the necessary space so that any person using it can operate without difficulty. Obviously, the space will depend on the number of people who are going to use it, as well as the use they are going to make of it.
The need to make the most of a space is what leads many to seek the help of warehouse installation specialists.It is important to try to take into account the potential and likelihood that storage needs will vary over time, as well as any adjustments that may be necessary to accommodate growth.
While it may not be possible to foresee all operational eventualities, planning for the future as far as possible is critical to spacing when designing the warehouse layout.
Equipment
Equipment size is another variable to consider when designing the warehouse layout. Therefore, it is important to be clear about the dimensions of each element when planning the layout. For example, knowing which warehouse racks to use will help you plan the aisle layout correctly.
Another good example is the size of pallets to be used, which in turn can affect the types of pallet trucks, forklifts and other equipment using the space.
All of this should be taken into account to the greatest extent possible when planning a warehouse layout, as taking equipment into account and arranging space accordingly will not only make operations run more smoothly, but will also keep people safer.
Safety
When working on the design of a warehouse layout, safety will be a critical part of all of the above elements. However, it is also something that must be considered in its own right.
Hazard control and accident prevention are key considerations, and poor planning or design will put people, property and equipment at risk. Depending on the type of activity taking place in the space, erecting safety barriers in the warehouse can be critical to ensuring safety.
These barriers must also be properly integrated into all other elements of the warehouse layout design, such as floor taping and aisle layout, to ensure safety and maximize productivity.
Sustainability
Sustainability is an increasingly important factor when designing warehouse layouts, as consumer demand, rising energy prices and the ever more pressing need to protect the environment have taken on greater relevance.
SEE ALSO: 7 innovative ideas to improve warehouse efficiency.
Incorporating skylights and windows to take advantage of more natural light, as well as using more environmentally friendly lighting, are just a couple of examples of how sustainability can be part of a warehouse layout design.
A robust recycling program can also affect the configuration of a warehouse, since collecting and processing goods for recycling often requires space.
5 key zones in warehouse layout design
The layout design of a warehouse will almost always include the following five key zones:
Loading and unloading
Goods go in and out of any warehouse, so loading and unloading areas are an important part of the facility.
As goods often arrive and depart by truck, these areas usually have dock doors built to facilitate access to trailers, although this is not always the case.
In some cases, loading and unloading areas will be separate, while others may accommodate loading and unloading based on work flow and schedules. The design of the warehouse layout will depend on whether loading and unloading should be separate or combined.
Reception
Upon arrival at a warehouse or distribution center, goods will generally require quality control before being sent onwards for storage or use, and this will take place in a receiving area.
Receiving is therefore an important element of warehouse design, and should be planned to accommodate the review of goods, as well as positioned to facilitate a smooth flow of goods from unloading to storage or use.
The type of incoming goods and their subsequent destination influence the design of the receiving area.
Storage
A significant portion of the space in a warehouse or distribution center should be dedicated to the storage of goods and materials. These areas should be easily accessible to people, as well as to the equipment or vehicles used to store and pick them.
In many cases, stored goods are kept on pallets of different sizes, which must also be stored when not in use.
When planning the layout of a warehouse, it is essential to know how long goods will be stored and how often they will be picked or moved to ensure optimal use of space.
Pickup / shipment
Most warehouses and distribution centers are based on a workflow that involves picking goods from the warehouse that will later be used or shipped, and will generally require designated areas to be set up where the picked goods are placed before being shipped elsewhere.
Often in a picking area, some preparation is done before the goods go out, such as wrapping to keep them safe during transport and consolidating them into shipments for shipping.
Therefore, when planning picking and shipping areas as part of a warehouse design, the access required and the preparation involved must be taken into account.
The office
The operations of any warehouse or distribution center will be overseen by a team of managers, usually assisted by support staff, who will be based in an office area for at least part of their working day.
Depending on the type and scale of the facility, it may be necessary to locate this area to allow observation and supervision of operations. It may also include locker rooms or rest rooms for personnel working in the plant.
The office area should also be able to accommodate any planned or anticipated expansion of operations. Therefore, properly locating and laying out the office area will also be an important consideration in the design of the warehouse layout.
Serviap Logistics offers warehouse picking services
At Serviap Logistics we provide warehouse installation services in Brazil, Mexico and the United States, including support for remodeling and relocations.
Our offer includes the supply and installation of elements such as collision protection, floor markings, labels, shelving and signage.
We count among our satisfied partners some of the world’s largest companies, whose work spans sectors such as automotive, e-commerce and wholesale, among others.
Wherever we work, we meet the highest safety standards, including OSHA certification in the United States.
Contact us at to learn more about how we can help you.
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